The class of polyimide polymers is known in the art, incorporating a variety of connecting structures around a central bis(imide) portion. A bismethylolimide is reacted with a dinitrile to produce a polyimide by Kurita et al., J. Polymer Sci.: Polymer Chem. Ed., Vol. 16, pp. 779-789 (1978). Yang et al., J. Polymer Sci.: Polymer Chem. Ed., Vol. 17, pp. 3255-3271 (1979) produce a polyimide by reaction of a diamine with N,N'-(pyromellitoyl)diacetyl chloride. A poly(imidesulfone) is produced by the process disclosed by St. Clair et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,027 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,021. Reaction of diacids and polyamines to produce open-chain poly(amideimides) is disclosed by Emerick, U.S. Pat. No. 3,778,411. Polyetherimide polymers are produced by White et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,666, by use of a hydroxypyridine or an aminocarboxylic acid as catalyst. Similar polyetherimide polymers are disclosed by Banucci et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,047. Aliphatic polyimide polymer is produced from a diamine and an aliphatic tetracarboxylic acid by Kojima et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,362,863.
The class of polyimide polymers broadly is a class of thermoplastic polymers and certain of the polyimide polymers are easily processed by conventional methods used for the processing of other thermoplastics. Other polyimides, however, are processed only with difficulty. Certain of the polyimides are characterized by good mechanical properties including flexibility but others are deficient in such properties. Some polyimide polymers offer good solvent resistance to common solvents likely to be encountered whereas other polyimide polymers tend to be at least partially soluble in such solvents as chloroform, cresol or hydrocarbon solvents. It would be of advantage to provide a class of poly(amideimide) polymers which provide good processability as well as satisfactory solvent resistance.